The Battle of Carter Bar, otherwise known as ‘the Raid
of the Redeswire’ (Reidswair; Reidswyre) or ‘the Redeswire Fray’, took
place on the 7th of July, 1575.
This battle is most often referred to as ‘the Raid of the Redeswire’ and
was one of the last major battles fought between the English and the
Scots. It isn’t really a very well known battle, compared to many others
in the long list of raids, skirmishes, battles and other conflicts in
the wars between Scotland and England. It wasn’t a raid either and
neither did it take place in the Redeswire. Well, we could argue that,
but no matter. The Redeswire was a drove road that criss-crossed the
River Rede, essentially following the river right up to the head of
Redesdale, climbing up over the watershed of the Rede and crossing into
Scotland. The protagonists arrived at the scene of the battle no doubt
having followed the Redeswire from their respective starting points, but
the fight didn’t take place on the road. It took place at a meeting
point below a ridge of the Cheviot pass, which enters Redesdale above
the hamlet of Carter Bar, hence its proper name.
The battle was commemorated in a ‘Border Ballad’ called ‘Raid of the
Reidswire’, which is how it came to be known by that name. Sir Walter
Scott also wrote an account of the battle, which can be found in ‘The
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border’. However, the opposing sides met at
Carter Bar in an arranged meeting under what was meant to be a truce, so
there was definitely no cross border raid.
The meeting was initially scheduled for Kemelspeth, but was subsequently
rearranged for the convenience of the Scots. It was to be between the
respective Wardens of the Marches, ironically, those nobles responsible
for keeping the peace on the border. These kinds of meetings were fairly
regular occurrences in times of relative peace, where the violence was
limited to thieving and plundering across the border – the routine
pastime of border reiving. The object of such meetings was to clear up
grievances on either side and settle any disputes. Sir John Carmichael
was the deputy Keeper of Liddesdale, representing the Scottish Warden
and he arrived at Carter Bar with a small band of pikemen and gunmen.
These were predominantly men of Liddesdale, led by Elliots and with
others from Teviot, Rule Water, and Hawick. There were also Turnbulls
and Rutherfords present from Jedburgh.
Sir John Forster was the Warden of the English Middle March and he
arrived with Sir George Heron of Chipchase, the Keeper of Tynedale and
Redesdale, and a sizeable force consisting mainly of bowmen. Forster was
known for double-dealing and Carmichael knew he couldn’t be trusted,
although the meeting wasn’t to be avoided. To make matters worse, the
Scottish contingent included members of the Crozier family, who were
arch-enemies of the English Fenwicks of Wallington. Any sort of an
argument could set off the powder keg if matters were not handled
properly. Arrogance and hot-headedness were set to rule the day,
particularly that of Forster, the English Warden.
In the course of the proceedings a true bill was found against a
notorious English Freebooter named Farnstein. Forster claimed that he
was a fugitive from justice, whereupon Carmichael, taking this as a
pretext to avoid payment, shouted out, "Play Fair". Forster retorted
with some Anglo-Saxon insults and insinuations regarding Carmichael's
family and pedigree. His retinue, chiefly men of Redesdale and Tynedale,
perhaps looking for any old excuse, reacted in support by discharging a
flight of arrows amongst the Scots. All hell was then let loose.
The ‘Ballad’ describes the scene changing from an initially friendly
encounter to a bloody battle rather well:
Some gaed to drink and some stude still
And some to cards and dice them sped
Till on ane Farnstein they fyled a bill
And he was fugitive and fled.
Then was there nought but bow and speir
And every man pulled out a brand;
"A Schafton and a Fenwick" thare:
Gude Symington was slain frae hand.
Notwithstanding the English began the fray with a cowardly attack and
considerably outnumbered their foes, the Scots ultimately got the better
of the conflict. Several notable border warriors were celebrated in the
‘Ballad’, including George Douglas of Bean Jeddart, Rutherford of
Hundlie, and Sir Andrew Turnbull of Bedrule upon Rule Water. Casualties
on the English side included Sir George Heron, his brother John and many
other notable English Nobles, and Fenwick of Wallington, who was merely
severely wounded.
The prisoners were brought to
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, who was the regent for King James
VI. This soon became embarrassing for the Scots, as the prisoners, who
were being held at Dalkeith Castle, had likely been taken for their
ransom value, although Douglas stated that it was to keep them from
being killed in the heat of battle. He wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth
describing the events, but she was outraged and sent William Killigrew
to demand immediate satisfaction from the Earl of Morton. Douglas was
directed to meet with George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon, who was
the lieutenant of the northern counties, to work out the details, and
the two men were able to come to an amicable solution, as Douglas was
wont to not anger Elizabeth, and she wanted to avoid a war.
Forster and the others had been treated with kindness and were released
with gifts and an apology for being held. Carmichael was delivered to
York as a prisoner for trial, but was acquitted as the English court
found that Forster had engaged in an unprovoked attack.
Now, every year in June-July, the good people of Jedburgh celebrate the
Callants’ Festival, which was inaugurated in 1947. The festival is part
of the Common Ridings, which these days celebrate border history and
legend, and commemorate the tradition, dating back to the 13th and 14th
Centuries, of riding the parish boundaries, or 'marches' to protect
common lands and prevent encroachment by neighbouring reivers. ‘Ridings’
take place from several border towns and the most important from
Jedburgh is to Carter Bar. The story goes that the timely arrival of a
contingent from Jedburgh, with its battle cry of “Jethart’s here”,
turned what might have been a defeat for the men of Liddesdale into a
famous rout of the English.
Redesdale, in the vicinity of Carter Bar, was also the site of an
earlier battle, in 1400, when Sir Robert Umfraville routed a less
fortunate Scottish force. Redesdale includes the settlements of Carter
Bar, Elsdon, Rochester, Byrness and Otterburn, which last was also the
site of an historic battle, fought under moonlight, in 1388, between the
armies of England and Scotland.
Nigel Tranter covers the events at
Carter Bar in his novel ‘A Rage of Regents’, with John Carmichael as the
story’s main character.
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